White Wings
by Lady Pickles
Summary: One-Shot written for Athena. 2008.


This is for Ramen, whose having a really crappy day right about now

This is for Ramen, whose having a really crappy day right about now. Or week, year, life, whichever seems to fit right now. So, until I can get back to you, dearie, this one is for you.

Because I wuv you. I wuv, wuv, wuv, wuv, wuuuuuv, you. And you are never alone, and trust me, life'll kick you in the ass, but that's when you need a good person on your back to kick life right in the groin. I'm here, and even though I'm not RIGHT there, my heart is, and I'll move heaven and earth to get back to you.

Always remember, when you're lying face down in the mud, I'll dive in and get dirty right there with you. When someone throws a verbal abuse at you, I'll be right there to take the same hit. If someone steals your stuff, I'll give you mine. When you're broken, I'll pick up those pieces. When you feel alone, it just means I'm right there being lonely with you.

**Xoxo!!**

Lady Pickles

****

_Well no, no, well open up your mind and see like me  
Open up your plans and damn you're free  
Look into your heart and you'll find that __**the sky is yours**_

_--"__I'm Yours_" _by Jason Mraz_

Axel sat down on the stairs up to his apartment, his head in his hands. He couldn't keep going, not like this. His shoulders shook with the effort it took to contain his sorrow. It beat down on him so hard; he swore it would crush him. Looking up at the sound of crashing, he frowned. The sky began to weep tears over the earth. Tears axel couldn't shed himself. He remained curled up into himself on those concrete steps, and watched people go by.

A man with a newspaper over his head, probably hoping to keep his glasses dry, jogged by, in a brown business suit. A woman with a small child, male, made her way through the concrete steps, playing a game of don't step on the cracks, with her son. Both were laughing at the prospect of the rain, and stopped momentarily to raise their hands, and look at the gray sky. The lamp lights flickered.

A taxi drove by, spraying water from a newly formed puddle over the sidewalk. The sound of its engine broke through the hissing silence that wrapped Axel up like a tight cocoon. His green eyes were faded, and when he tried to feel, he found a steel wall. Instead of a heart, he had a twenty-five pound barbell in his chest. The rain began to soak him to the skin, and the drops hit his pale cheek, sliding down.

With them joined the most innocent salty diamonds the world had ever seen. Axel sniffled some, and wiped his nose on his sleeve, blinking weakly.

"I hate life." I sighed wearily. His red hair stuck to his head, and the crimson strands looked like drips of blood, that coated his shoulders, over his black hoodie. Under it, he wore a GIR shirt, and a pair of black jeans, to his worn black converses. His knees he brought up to his chest, and he leaned against the stone railing of the steps, and prayed to whatever god was out there, that he'd be saved. Mercy was what he needed. A beautiful, sweet release.

"I've been spending way too long checking my tongue in the mirror, and bending over backwards just to try to see it clearer, but my breath fogged up the glass…" Axel's throaty voice said, as he slightly sang the song out. It always helped soothe him, singing did. But not today. His throat constricted again, and he closed his eyes, only to be presented with a voice.

"And so I drew a new face and laughed!!"

The voice was rich and velvety. Axel's ears pricked at the noise, and he looked over to see who the distraction was. Sitting on top of the railing was a man with a hood over his head. He had his eyes closed, and he seemed to be tapping his foot to an invisible beat. From what Axel could see, he just seemed too… happy.

And it pissed the redhead off.

Crawling from the railing, Axel glared at the stranger on the railing, and bit out severely, "Who are you!"

He bit back a gasp when some of the brightest eyes he'd seen besides his own presented themselves to him. They were a bottomless pool of azure, and their color made the rest of the world seem faded. He smiled crookedly at Axel, and stroked his platinum blonde goatee thoughtfully, before turning, and letting his legs dangle over the side of the railing, tilting his head curiously.

"I asked you a question." Axel said, feeling the hallow note in his voice.

"I heard."

"Then please answer."

"Keine Antwort ist auch eine Antwort." The man smiled a bright smile that put Brad Pitt's to shame.

"The fuck does that mean!?" Axel huffed getting up, and wiping the back of his pants off, as the rain drizzled. He momentarily forgot his pain as he was confronted with this unusual character. Instead of pain, he was irritated.

"No answer is also an answer." The man said, in a smooth, clipped British accent. Axel tilted his head to the side, and then when the man stood as well, he took his entire form in. Axel had never wolf whistled at anyone because he thought they deserved it, but just to piss them off. But now he wanted to. The man was gorgeous. Even if his clothes were a little more than odd. They didn't seem to fit right, as if he'd pieced together random items of clothing that he could find. A pair of worn jeans, a lumpy green sweater, and a black hoodie that looked to be at the end of its days. His shoes were pale green chucks, with the tongue torn.

But he was gorgeous none the less. He had classic features that could get him anywhere, and a body made for ruin. Wide shoulders and a stout frame. Axel licked his suddenly dry lips, and he looked back up into those amused azure eyes. Who was this person?

"You were crying. Why?"

Then it all came crashing down. Axel looked at the man and scoffed. He looked to his door, and wondered if he should go home.

"None of your business."

The man was silent, and then he looked up to the sky, and patted the top of his hood, as if to make sure it was still there. Probably soaked all the way through now, Axel thought dryly. The stranger seemed to sure of himself, so happy, so…. Infuriating.

"Well, I wouldn't nose around so much, except you seemed like you needed some sort of picker up." He flashed that award winning smile at Axel again, the one that made his toes curl, and his cheeks heat.

"Yeah, well, if I wanted a picker up, I'd totally ask for one. Now scram you bum." Axel hissed, making a shooing motion with his hands. The man didn't move.

"Ah, the correct term is hobo." The man responded, holing a finger up, as if to halt anymore insults to his chosen profession. "I help people, in return for food. You know, like cleaning houses, tending to farms, cars, where ever there's a need." The man shrugged. "Bums are people who beg for food and give noting in return."

"Whatever." Axel sighed annoyed. This man had definitely over stayed his welcome. "Just… go. Okay?"

The stranger… hobo…. Whatever… shifted from one foot to the other, as if he had something to say, but he was trying to respect Axel's wishes.

"Well go on, get!" He made a shooing noise again, as if talking to an unwanted stray cat. The man stopped, and he turned slightly, before bowing low.

"The next time they take your heart out, just remember, there are others who are willing to pick up the pieces for you."

Axel whipped around from the front door, to glare. "Yeah, and someone needs to shove those rose colored glasses right up your a…"

But he was gone.

The fuck?

Axel shook his head, sure that he was going mad. Whatever, the whole fucking world was mad in his mind. Slamming the door shut, he stormed up the worn, lonely steps to his apartment, and pulled his keys out. It took almost seven, or eight minutes to get the door open, and with each minute, he felt like he was going to drown in his despair just a bit more.

God was everything out to kill him, or was just his paranoia? He walked into the house, and kicked his old shoes off, then ran into the bathroom. In there, he threw his wet shirt off, and then stood in front of the mirror looking at his body. His eyes were almost deranged. Sighing, he bent down to peel his jeans off, and when he stood straight, the hobo was in the mirror, not him.

"OH BUDDAH!!" Axel screamed, as he stumbled back, and hit the wall, his green eyes wider than saucers. "You…. You…. You…. AAAHHHH!!"

With that he ran out of the bathroom in his wet boxers, and turned the corner to sharp, stubbing his toe into the coffee table. Cursing, he flailed around, and then got knocked into the end table by the couch, bruising his thigh, before falling head over heels into the laundry basket full of socks he had yet to fold. Taking a few deep breaths, he sighed and rubbed his face after collecting himself with that rather embarrassing situation.

"You're seeing things…. You're…"

"I've had people fall head over heels for me, but never like that. I'm impressed." The stranger clapped his hands. He was sitting on the couch, one leg over the other, and he seemed too relaxed. And he'd changed clothes, into an Armani tux, his platinum blonde hair slicked back. He was smiling faintly down at Axel.

"Who… how…."

"I'm assuming that you're speechless. I'm sorry, I should introduce myself." He stood and bowed lowly, before looking up smiling. "I'm Luxord, and I'm here to help you accomplish all in life I could not."

Axel just remained speechless. His green eyes wide, and his mouth gapped like a fish. Luxord walked over, and bent down far enough to push his trap shut, and smiled widely.

"You'll catch flies there pet."

"GET OUUUT!!" Axel flailed his arms, trying to wriggle his ass out of the laundry basket. Strong arms caught him, and pulled him out, with very little effort. He didn't realize when he'd clung to the blonde, but instead looked up into eyes that instantly calmed his racing heart, and soothed his ruffled emotions. "You can't be real."

"I'm not."

Axel stopped, and he looked at the wall. Slowly he untangled himself from those arms, and rubbed his own cold ones. He shook his head. This was all too fucking weird. Too fucking weird indeed.

"I'm dreaming."

"You might be. You might not. If you're not, I suggest you get a towel to keep you from catching hypothermia, and if you are, I'd still suggest it." Luxord said coolly, brushing some invisible lint of his shoulder.

Axel just stared at him. "Don't you have anything better to do?!" He snapped as he turned to storm out, then stopped, and turned again to say something else. But it was lost on him, as the man wasn't there. He felt the silence like a heart breaking pain, and he sighed shaking his head. "Lay off the booze man." He whined, as he walked back into the bathroom, locking the door, and stuffing his clothes under the crack to make sure he wouldn't come in.

Somehow Axel wasn't sure that would stop him.

Turning on the water, he waited for it to grow warm, and fill the tiny room with steam before he stepped in. Sighing under the warm water that slid over his shivering body, he closed his eyes, and slowly swayed his hips, before reaching over and finding the shampoo bottle, and running his fingers through his hair, singing softly.

Rinsing the suds under the spray, he wiped his face, his eyes squinted shot, as he felt around for the conditioner. It was handed to him, his fingers faintly brushing someone else's.

"The…" Opening his eyes he saw the blonde in with him, naked, and wet, blinking. Axel screamed and tried to leap out of the shower, but Luxord caught him, before he could hit his head on the toilet. Feeling naked skin on skin, Axel flushed, and he swore he'd faint.

"This is an unexpected reaction. Tell me, do you enjoy screaming, or am I that impressive?" Luxord cracked a grin at him.

"Why are you bugging me so!!" Axel snapped, yanking himself from the blondes grasp, and cowering against the opposite wall. Luxord just sighed and rubbed the back of his head. Covering his eyes he yelled, "Go away!!"

He didn't hear a noise, and when he opened his eyes, Luxord was still there.

"God! It worked LAST time!!" Axel flailed, and yanked the curtain aside, leaping out of the tub, and kicking clothes out of his way, as he wretched the door open, flinging himself down the hall, slipping on his wet feet as he tumbled into his room. He shut the door, and leaned against it, breathing heavily. His wet hair dripped around him, and his warm body was rapidly cooling. Hissing, he walked over and grabbed a pair of sweats and a hoodie, and yanked it over his head while bitching about whether he was going fucking insane or not. Once those were on, he shoved his hands into his pocket, and stormed out of his room, hunger dragging him out into the open.

Popping open a fridge, he stared at nothing in particular, before finally pulling a pitcher of raspberry kool-aid out. As he stood to close the fridge, a familiar figure wearing a flannel shirt and torn jeans stood right behind the door.

"Hello." He said grumpily, determined not to be frightened this time, as he smacked the pitcher onto the counter, and began to reach for a cup, sighing as he went on his tip toes, before a warm body came behind him, and grabbed it for him, setting it down for Axel. "Thanks."

"You didn't scream. I must be losing my touch." Luxord sighed as he sat on the counter. Axel poured himself some kool-aid, and looked at the blonde man, with a raised brow.

"You said you're here to help me, right?"

"Yeah, I do believe that was a prior statement." Luxord said, as h reached up and poured his own self a glass. "Provided you tell me the problem."

Axel bit his bottom lip and chewed. He couldn't tell a complete stranger all his fucking problems. Even if the stranger was a figment of his imagination. Fucking hobos.

"Say I did tell you…"

"Then we'd be making good progress." The man said, as he took a swallow.

Axel glared. "So, if I told you, you'd help me with the solution?"

Luxord nodded as he took swallows, and eventually downed the glass, and poured himself another one. He began to down that one, while Axel was thinking. It didn't take long for the Brit to finish his second cup, and began reaching for a third before Axel smacked his hand.

"God! How many do you need?!" Axel practically screamed. Luxord just raised a brow.

"As many as one needs, who hasn't drunk anything for almost four centuries. Never tasted anything like this!!"

Axel stared. "How old ARE you?!"

"As old as I need to be. That's beside the point. Now what's your problem?" Luxord leaned against the cabinets, and blinked slowly.

Axel sighed, and rubbed his face. "Please…. This is not what I want…"

"But what you need…. Now… your problems?"

Axel stared. Then growled. "How do I know I can trust you?"

"I'll drink all your kool-aid."

"What kind off…." Suddenly his kool-aid was gone. "The hell?!"

"I told you I'll drink it."

You didn't drink it…. You… ABSORBED it….."

"Details Axel. Now tell me…. What's up? You're not getting any younger, and I'm sure neither are the bitches at your school."

"Wait… how did you know my name?!" Axel stared, his green eyes wide. Luxord brushed it off.

"All guardian angels know their wards names. Again, beyond the point, I'm here about you, now will you…"

"Show me your wings!!" Axel said excitedly. He flailed his arms, and was grinning happily. Luxord stopped. He stared.

"What…?"

"Your wings!!"

"Yes, yes… but why?"

"It'd make me happy….."

Luxord couldn't argue there. He closed his eyes and sighed, as he shivered. Out of his back the air began to shift, and suddenly where there was none, there was a pair of bright white wings, the ends looking as if dipped in blood. The ruffled as he shifted. Axel reached over, to touch one. Luxord let him. They were softer than the softest fur, and lighter than the air they breathed.

"Take me away from here. From the bullies at school, my parents… everyone. Please…" Axel whispered, as he buried his face into those wings. There was a minute that passed, but it seemed like more than an eternity. Luxord nodded, as he picked up the redhead, and walked them around to the hallway, and up the stairs. Axel didn't worry about being seen. Instead he looked up, as if anticipating something, one hand fisted in those feathers.

"Running away isn't always the answer."

"But staying isn't either. Let me touch the sky?"

Luxord looked down at him as they got to the roof, and he set the redhead on his feet, before stepping back, and looking up himself to the bright vast sky. The rain was still coming down, but beyond that thick wall of gray, Axel knew there was sun, and with the sun, freedom.

Strong arms wrapped around his waist, and suddenly they were air born. Axel felt the ground leave his feet, and the air rush past his ears. He looked up, and saw the clouds become closer, and looked down, and say the ground fade. But he didn't feel sick. Instead he felt as if his heart was coming back to him.

He reached his arms out, and screamed, "I'M FUCKING SUPERMAN BITCHES!!"

He heard Luxord laugh as they raced through the storming gray clouds, and broke out into bright sun. Axel swore he'd never seen anything better. They raced through the sky, flying over land and sea, and Axel got to see the wonders of the world. They flew over the Great Wall of China, and Axel got to touch the tip of Mount Fuji in Japan. Luxord took him to the vast spaces of Australia, and they flew along side the running kangaroos.

Axel had never seen so many things. He didn't know how long they were gone. He didn't know if they'd ever left. But as the nights and days melted together, he just smiled, and flew with this winged guardian of his.

He'd never been so happy.

"Do we ever have to go back?" Axel said, as he looked to the sky. They were sitting in a vast field of wild wheat and flowers. The wind had picked up some. The redhead ran a hand through his hair.

"You have to wake up sometime." The blonde said.

The confused redhead looked at him, and the blonde reached over and tapped him. He was smiling, and his lips said something else, but what Axel heard was,

"Hey, kid, you okay? Kid?"

It entered his world, and Axel felt the edges of his world disappear. Like a painting running. He looked around, and tried to find fear, but it wasn't there.

Axel touched his head, and opened his eyes, the rain had stopped, though it was still gray, and he stretched, trying to sit up, as he looked into the azure eyes of someone who was quickly becoming a fading memory, like a dream that was heaven sent.

"Kid, you okay?" He asked, his British accent so unusual around these parts. He seemed worried, and was checking to see if Axel had any cuts. Axel just brushed him off, smiling up at him, some weird connection to this man was made.

"Yeah. Axel by the way." Axel said as he held a hand out. The man took it and pulled him to his feet. He was wearing a blue sweater and tan slacks, and Axel had never seen a more down to earth gentle person.

"Luxord. You sure you're okay?" He asked, blinking, he hadn't let go of Axel's hand yet, and the redhead didn't pull back.

"Yeah, I think I am. Want some coffee?" He asked, perking up and smiling brightly, his hand gripping Luxord's to assure him.

"Would I be very bold to accept?" Luxord said raising a brow, which almost seemed like second nature to the redhead.

"No bolder than I'd be to tell you to hurry the fuck up."

"Sounds like a date to me."

And so they left, hand in hand, and off the collar of Luxord's sweater fell a lone white feather, with a figure crouched on the stone railing, smiling, as he leapt off the railing and into the sky, laughing.


End file.
